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Golden Age of Finnish Art’ From Nostalgia to Where…? National Romanticism, Esotericism, and the ‘Golden Age of Finnish Art’ Marja Lahelma In Finnish art history, the period encompassing the last decades of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the 20th century up until the outbreak of the First World War has come to be known as the ‘Golden Age of Finnish art’. This article looks into the background of this notion, connecting it with a sense of nostalgic longing. Once the fantastical nature of this concept has been identified, it is possible to recognise the building blocks on which it has been founded. We can then also become more aware of the various cultural dimensions and ideological currents that have been ‘abjected’ in the process of constructing the narrative of ‘National Romantic’ art. I will explore these issues first on a more general level and then through two case studies, the first of 1 See, for instance, Markku Valkonen, which focuses on the myth of Akseli Gallen-Kallela (Axel Gallén, ‘Hedelmät kypsyvät’, in Eija Kämä- räinen and Sirpa Westerholm (eds.), 1865–1931) as a national hero and patriotic-minded artist, while Suomen ja maailman taide 3: Kulta­ the second one explores a national monument, the Lönnrot kausi (Porvoo: WSOY, 1984), 6–35. A similar tendency continues to be Memorial (1902) by Emil Wikström (1864–1942). In Finnish art reflected in the Pinx-series, which historiography both artists have been placed within the category otherwise sought an outlook that was more inclusive and multidimen- of National Romanticism, which has encouraged interpretations sional than those that emerge in that emphasise nationalistic content. However, my analysis will previous general accounts of Finn- ish art history. The editor in chief, focus on esotericism, which constitutes a marginalised cultural Helena Sederholm, writes in the in- troduction to part one that the five dimension in the art of the ‘Golden Age’. In Finnish art history, parts of the series will take the read- the nationalistic theme has typically been separated from a er from the ‘grand narratives’ con- nected to the building of a nation- more internationally oriented Symbolist current, and esotericism al identity to an individualist and has been connected with the latter.1 The aim of this article is pluralist contemporary art. Helena Sederholm, ‘Esipuhe’, in Helena Se- to demonstrate that nationalism and esotericism were, in fact, derholm (ed.), Pinx: maalaus taide deeply intertwined in the artistic discourses of the period. Both Suomessa (Espoo: Weilin + Göös, 2004), 5. contain an element of nostalgia that manifests itself as a feeling EUROPEAN REVIVALS MARJA LAHELMA From Nostalgia to Where…? 177 From Dreams of a Nation to Places of Transnational Exchange National Romanticism, Esotericism, and the ‘Golden Age of Finnish Art’ FNG Research 1/2020 of discontent with modernity and a longing for a more authentic existence that may be bound up with the past but also with a utopian future. The approach that I am following is based on the understanding that, in order to create a more multidimensional view of the past that makes room for the complexity of historical works of art, it is necessary to assess even those aspects of history that make us uncomfortable and to take seriously the kind of cultural phenomena that from our intellectual point of view might seem irrational, eccentric, or even immoral. In the quest to broaden the ideological framework of Finnish art history, I am following Michael Ann Holly’s insight and calling for a sense of awe and astonishment, and of curiosity as a driving force behind historical approaches to works of art.2 It seems that the mythologised notions embedded within the established art-historical narratives have also made us partly blind to the incredible richness of meaning contained in works of art. The reason that I have chosen esotericism as the main focus for exploration is that it constitutes one of the most obviously rejected fields in Western culture in general, and within the nostalgically motivated National Romantic historiography of Finnish art in particular. It must be pointed out that nationalism, which is a complex and multifaceted conception with entire fields of study centred on it, is here approached within the framework of National Romanticism. This definition emphasises its function as a cultural rather than a political concept. The notion of National Romanticism (or the partly synonymous Romantic Nationalism) is defined a little differently in various contexts. As a broader European literary and cultural phenomenon it usually refers to an earlier stage, beginning at the end of the 18th century, but as an artistic current in Finland, National Romanticism (kansallisromantiikka) is most typically employed in the context of the late 19th and early 20th century, referring to both fine art and architecture.3 It is, as I will argue, 2 Michael Ann Holly, The Melancholy Art (Princeton: Princeton University one of the most central ideological edifices that has supported Press, 2013). 3 On Romantic Nationalism as a a unified vision of social harmony and progress. It is a notion broader phenomenon, see the on- that, on the one hand, has had the effect of accentuating line edition of the Joep Leerssen (ed.), Encyclopedia of Romantic political dimensions of art. Yet, at the same time, it has served Nationalism in Europe, romanticna- to neutralise the potentially dangerous elements inherent in the tionalism.net (accessed 30 March 2019). combination of nostalgia and politics. EUROPEAN REVIVALS MARJA LAHELMA From Nostalgia to Where…? 178 From Dreams of a Nation to Places of Transnational Exchange National Romanticism, Esotericism, and the ‘Golden Age of Finnish Art’ FNG Research 1/2020 Of course, Finnish art history has never spoken with just one voice. Ever since its beginnings 4 Salme Sarajas-Korte, Suomen varhaissymbolismi ja sen lähteet: tutkielma Suomen maalaustaiteesta 1891–1895 as an academic field it has been motivated by (Helsinki: Otava, 1966). different ideologies and has held a variety of 5 Nina Kokkinen, Totuudenetsijät. Vuosisadanvaihteen ok­ kulttuuri ja moderni henkisyys Akseli Gallen-Kallelan, Pek­ critical perspectives. When it comes to the subject ka Halosen Ja Hugo Simbergin taiteessa, Turun yliopiston julkaisuja / Scripta Lingua Fennica Edita 469 (Turku: Turun of the present article, the pioneering scholarship yliopisto, 2019). Nina Kokkinen and I are both members on the Symbolist current in Finnish art by Salme of the research project ‘Seekers of the New: Esotericism and religious transformation in Finland during the era of Sarajas-Korte holds a central place. Sarajas-Korte modernisation, 1880–1940’, which is a multidisciplinary approached Finnish Symbolism as part of the project that explores the cultural history of Finnish eso- tericism from the 1880s to the 1940s. international phenomenon and paid attention to the 6 To give just a few examples, Riikka Stewen’s scholarship interconnectedness of national and international on Finnish symbolism has continued on the path that was initiated by Sarajas-Korte, exploring the philosophical aspirations.4 Nina Kokkinen’s recently published and psychological dimensions of art, while Juha-Heikki Tihinen and Harri Kalha have examined Magnus Enckell’s doctoral dissertation, which places Gallen-Kallela, oeuvre from homoerotic perspectives. In addition, Riit- Pekka Halonen and Hugo Simberg’s art within an ta Konttinen’s numerous studies have shed light on the role of women in the Finnish art world. Konttinen and esoteric context, has provided a highly significant Ville Lukkarinen have also introduced more critical per- new opening for the kind of research that I am spectives on the nationalist paradigm. See, for example, Harri Kalha, Tapaus Magnus Enckell (Helsinki: Suoma- also promoting here. Even though Kokkinen’s focus laisen Kirjallisuuden Seura, 2005); Riitta Konttinen, To­ is elsewhere and she refers to nationalism only in tuus enemmän kuin kauneus: naistaiteilija, realismi ja naturalismi 1880­luvulla (Helsinki: Otava, 1991); Riitta passing, her research clearly demonstrates that Konttinen, Sammon takojat: nuoren Suomen taiteilijat ja suomalaisuuden kuvat (Helsinki: Otava, 2001); Ville nationalism and esotericism are deeply intertwined Lukkarinen, Albert Edelfelt ja Runebergin Vänrikki Stoolin and that it can be very fruitful to focus on the Tarinat: Pois Mielist’ Ei Se Päivä Jää = Albert Edelfelt och Runebergs Fänrik Ståls Sägner: Ej Glöms i Tiders Tid Den esoteric dimension of works previously categorised Dag (Helsinki: Valtion taidemuseo, Ateneum, 1996); Ville as National Romantic.5 Other critical voices that Lukkarinen and Annika Waenerberg, Suomi­kuvasta mie­ lenmaisemaan: kansallismaisemat 1800­ ja 1900­luvun have gnawed at the foundations of the monolithic vaihteen maalaustaiteessa (Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kirjal- construction of Finnish art have been heard over lisuuden Seura, 2004); Ville Lukkarinen, Pekka Halonen 6 – pyhä taide (Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura, the years, but one incredibly persistent story in 2007); Riikka Stewen, Hugo Simberg: Unien Maalari (Hel- the popular consciousness has been that of ‘little sinki: Otava 1989); Riikka Stewen, ‘Rakkauden kehissä: Magnus Enckellin mytologiat / I kärlekens kretsar: Mag- Finland’, which fought its way to independence nus Enckell’s mytologier / Circles of Love: The mytholo- 7 gies of Magnus Enckell’, in Jari Björklöv and Juha-Heikki with the help of patriotic-minded artists. This has Tihinen (eds.), Magnus
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